Fastener



June V29, 1943. A', vENDn-TY l 2,323,260'

FAS-TENER Filed Feb. 2e, 1942 `2 sheets-sheet 1 June 29, 1943 A, VENDITTY I l 2,323,260

. FAS TENER Filed Feb. :26,l 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 -VEEDF v La JW HE.-

, taining the parts in tight relation.

Patented June 29, 1943 l 'Y fUNiTED STATES PATENT yOFFICE FASTENER Anthony Venditty, Detroit,- Mich., assignor to Thompson Products, Incorporated, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of 4Ohio Application February 26, 1942, Serial No. 432,399

9 Claims.

This invention relates to fasteners adapted for detachably connecting 'a plurality of apertured plates. The fasteners of this invention are especially useful for mounting cowling pieces around an airplane motor.

More specifically the invention relates to receptacles having spring'urged 'toothed blocks and spring urged locking means together with studs insertable into the receptacle and having eooperating teeth for engagement with the toothed blocks as well as recesses f or receiving the spring urged locking means. A

The .fasteners of this invention lock and unlock upon quarter-turn rotation of a locking stud. The locking stud has a head portion adapted lto be rotatably mounted-in the aperture of a plate, a shank portion adapted to extend into the receptacle part of the fastener, locking cams on the shank portion adapted to cooperate with the receptacle part, and a recess or groove in the end of the shank to receive a spring urged portion of the receptacle part for controlling quarter-,turn

movement of the stud.

The receptacle part of the fastener includes a housing adapted to. be secured onto the inner face of a second plate around an aperture in said plate, a pair of spring urged locking blocks Iin the housing for cooperating with the locking cams on the stud shank, and a spring urged plate for riding on the end' of the stud in and out of the groove or recess therein so that lthe stud will not rotate due to vibration of the plates or fastener parts. 1

The -cam surfaces on the stud are inclined so as to pull the stud into the housing as the stud is being rotated into locked position. The faces of the spring-urged blocks in the fastener receptacle which receive the cam surfaces of the Even though one set of locking surfaces are provided in the fastener receptacle, some slight variation in plate thicknesses can be accommodated because the spring`- urged blocks in the receptacle have inclined locking teeth and, when thick plates are used, the llocking cam surfaces on the stud can ride on the lower portions of the teeth since the blocks can be forced apart by stressing of the springs which urge them toward the stud.

It is, then, an object of lthis invention to pro- I vide fasteners adapted for detachably connecting a plurality of parts such as apertured plates.

A fur-ther object of the invention is to provideA a fastener having one set of spring urged means.

for lockingthe fastener parts in assembled relation, and a second spring urged means for holding the fastener parts lin assembled relation.

A still further object of the invention is Ito provide a fastener adapted to bev locked and unlocked upon quarter turn reverse rotation of 'a stud portion thereof and having an independent spring urged means for holding .the stud in locked position.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a fastener including a receptacle and a stud wherein the fastener has spring urged yblocks adapted to coact with cam surfaces on the stud.`

A still furtherobject of the invention is to` provide a fastener a plurality of different .locking positions so as to accommodate the lock- 'ing together of different sized parts.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a fastener including a fastener receptacle stud are also inclined so .that when the stud is in locked position the springs acting on the blocks will tend to force the inclined surfaces thereon toward the stud shank and, in so doing, will'further pull. the stud into the housing thereby mainspring urged `l having a spring urged stud locking means anda cam locking instrumentality independent of said spring urged means.

Other and further objects sheets of drawings which, by way of preferred example, illustrate two embodiments of the invention. )On the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevational view of one form of fastener according to this invention having the fastener parts thereof mounted on a pair of flat apertured plates. v FlgureZisatopplanviewofFigurei. g Figure 3 isan enlarged vertical cross-sectional view, with parts in elevation, taken along the line III--III of Figure 2 and illustratingthe` fastener parts in unlocked position.

Figure'4 isa view simllar'to Figure 3 but illus? trating thefastener parts Ain locked position.

-Figure 5 ls a vertical cross-sectional viewA taken along the line VQV of Figure 4.

of the invention will be apparent of those skilled in the 'art from the following detailed description of the annexed Figure 6 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken along the line VI-VI of Figure 4.

Figure 7 is a side elevational view of a second form of fastener according -to this invention illustrating the same in mounted relation ,on a pair of plates. j

u Figure 101s a view similervte Figure 9 but iuustrating ,the fastener parts in unlocked position.

Figure 11 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken along the line Xl-XI of Figure 9.

Figure 12 is a horizontal cross-sectional View taken alo'ng the line XII-XII of Figure 9.

As shown on the drawings:

In Figures 1 to 6 inclusive the reference numeral lIIJ illustrates generally the first form of fastener detachably connecting a pair of apertured plates A and B. The fastener includes a receptacle or housing Il with laterally extending apertured ears I Ia at the bottom receiving therethrough the shanl of rivets I2. These rivets I2 extend through apertures I3 in the plate B which have a countersunk end at the bottom face of the plate to receive the heads I2a of the rivets I2. The rivet heads are preferably flush with the face of the plate B. The rivet Shanks can be headed as at I2b over the ears IIa to fixedly g secure the receptacle I I on the plate B.

The plate A is embossed as at A to provide a dimple or depression in the outer face of the plate.. The bottom of `the depression has anA aperture A therethrough.

A comparatively thin flat metal annulus I4 can, if desired, be riveted onto the inner or top face of the plate A around the embossment A' thereof by means of rivets such as I5. This vthin annulus I4 acts as `a shim and somewhat separates the plates A and B. It makes possible a deflection of the embossment A" into an aperture B' of the plate B around which the receptacle II is mounted. The annulus can be entirely eliminated inasmuch as it is not essential to the operation of the fastener. Y

The fastener includes a lockingstud I6 rotatably'mounted in the aperture A" of the plate A. The stud I6 has an enlarged head portionv I6aV adapted to seat in theembossed portionvA' of the plate A so that when the stud and receptacle are in locked relation the stud head I6a will be ush with the outer face of the plate A.

The'stud head I6a has a screwdriver slot I 6b therein for rotation of the stud. v A

A cylindrical intermediate portion I6cA extends from the head I6a of the stud and has a peripheral groove therearound adapted to receive a snap ring I1 which, when, seated in the groove, has an outside diameter greater than the diameter of the aperture A". The snap ring I1 .and the head I6a will therefore hold the stud I6 in rotatable relation in the aperture A" ofthe plate A. The stud I6 has a cylindrical shank portion I6d of smaller diameter than the portion lic for projecting into the receptacle Il.v Locking instrumentalities such as prongs I I extend outwardly from opposite sides of the stud shank lid. These prongs I8 have inclined or beveled bottom surfaces Ita extending downwardly from near the top end of the stud shank to other inclined bottom surfaces lib on the prongs. The surfaces Ila when contacted with the cooperating locking means inl the receptacle II, will serve to pull the stud further into the receptacle with a sorewthread-like action so as to pull the plates tightly together. When the quarter-turn rotation of the stud is completed, however, the surfaces I8b will cooperate with the cooperating locking instrumentaiities in the receptacle.

The top end of the stud has a transversegroove I6e extending thereacross as best shown in Figure 4, for a purpose t0 be hereinafter more fully described.

The housing I I contains a pair of opposed locking blocks 2o which have outturned anges 20a at the top ends thereof overlying the top of the housing together with outturned flanges 20h at the bottom thereof disposed within the housing.

Leaf or plate springs 2| are disposed around the outer faces' of the blocks 20 and .extend between the iianges 20a and 20h. These springs urge the blocks 20 toward each other.

Each block 20 has an arcuate inner face 20c as best shown in Figures 2 and 6. These inner faces or walls of the blocks cooperate to dene a chamber through the center of the receptacle,

'upper surfaces for receiving thereover the in,-

clined bottom surfaces on` the prongs I8 of the stud when the stud is rotated into locking position.

As shown in Figure 6 the stud shank I6d of the shank can t freely between the teeth 22V .and the prongs Il projecting laterally from the Vopposite sides of this shank can also fit freely between the .teeth when these prongs are rotated into the dotted line position. However, when the stud is rotated to move the prongs from the dotted line position, the same will ride over the teeth 22 to lock the parts together.

From the above description it will be evident that the stud and receptacle can be detachably connected upon mere quarter-turn rotation of the stud in the receptacle. Y InA order to prevent unauthorized rotation of the stud to unlocked position, the housing II is provided with a strap or top wall I'Ib spanning the space between the blocks 20. This strap IIb has a stud or ferrule 25 extending therethrough for centering the end coil-ofa coil spring 26. The bottom coil of this spring 26 acts against a plate 21 disposed between the blocks 20' and having downturned end walls 21a as best shown in Figure 5 for extending between the blocks 20 to form inner abutments forthe blocks and thereby maintain the same in assembled relation inthe housing II. It will be also noted from Figure 2 'that the strap IIb extends between the top ends of the blocks to hold -the same in separated position. The plate 21 has a downwardly extending longitudinal rib 21h adapted to ride on the end of the stud before the stud is rotated to locked position and adapted to snap into the groove I6'e in the stud end when the stud is rotated to locked position. This rib therefore serves to hold the stud against unauthorized rotation out of locked l fore themselves serve to hold the plate against rotation, it may be desirable to further insure against possible rotation of the plate 21 by fixedly securing pins 28 in the teeth 22 and allowing these pins 28 to project upwardly from the teeth into abutment with opposite sides of theplate y21.

Thev spring 26 will constantlyy urge the plate downwardly between the blocks 20 but the plate cannot be forced past the teeth 22 on thel blocks.

When the stud I6 is inserted into the receptacle between the llolocksit will engage the plate and compress the spring 26 as shown .in Figure 3. As the stud is rotated to move the prongs I8 over the teeth 22, the sloping undersurfaces lila and I8b of the prongs together with the upwardly sloping top surfaces of the teeth will pull the stud further into the receptacle and, upon completion of a quarter turn rotation, the groove Iiie on the stud will be brought into alignment with the rib 21h of the plate and the spring 26 will push the plate downwardly-to seat the rib in the groove thereby holding the stud against further unauthorized rotation in either direction The blocks 20 may be somewhat urged apart as theV stud is rotated into locking position to compress the plate springs V2 I Since the upper faces of the teeth 22 are inclined, upon completion of the locking the plate springs will tend to force the blocks toward the stud and push the inclined topM surfaces of the teeth further under the surfaces I8b of the prongs thereby preventing any looseness from developing between the locked together fastener parts.

If an annulus I4 is usedl the drawing of the stud into the receptacle by virtue of the inclined cooperating cam surfaces or locking teeth may be strong enough to resiliently deflect the embossment A' ofthe outer plate A, Isince this embossment is not backed up by any rigid member due to its spacing from the plate B provided by. the4 annulus I4. This inward springing of the embossment or dixpie A' will additionally serve to hold the parts intigiit cooperating locked position. The annulus I4 also acts A.as a shim to give the effect of a thicker plate A so as to lineup the stud prongs with the teeth of the blocks in the -event that plates A and B are too thin for this purpose. The shim therefore extends the rangeI of use of the device. Shims can be furnished in different thicknesses and can be interposed between the plates A and B as theannulus I4 or can be positioned between the plate B and housing II.

In the second modication disclosed in Figures 'I to l2, parts substantially identical with parts described in Figures 1 to 6 have been marked with` the same reference numerals and characters.

The fastener 30, as shown in ,Figures '1 to 12, hasa somewhat higher housing II than the housing II of the fastener III, and has a somewhat longer stud than the stud I6 of the fastener I0. However, outside of these diierences in size, the parts are substantially identical. The blocks 20 are sized to fit the housing I I.

The housing has vertical slots 3l in opposite `sides thereof aligned beneath the strapv IIb.

These slots receive projecting tangs or ears 3Ia on the ends of the plate 21 so as to guide the plate in its up and down movement and positively prevent rotation of the plate in the housing.

. gether plates such 'as A and B, even though the plates be thick or thin. For example, if thin plates are used, or if more than two plates are to be fastened together so that intermediate plates or other parts are disposed between the plates A and B, the 'stud will engage a set of teeth 33 nearer the lower end of the receptacle. The locking plate 21 can travel for a suiiicient distance so that it will act against the stud end in various positions of the stud. As a result of this multi arrangement of teeth on the blocks the fastener is made useful throughout a wide eld for detachably connecting parts of many diil'erent sizes.

The inclined relationship of the teeth 32 and 33 will tend to pull the stud further into the housing as it is rotated toward locked position.

l'I'he rib 21b of the plate 21 rides on the end of the stud until it is alignedv with the recess I6e in the stud whereupon the spring 21 will snap the rib into the recess to hold the stud against spring pressed rib member in said housing, a locking stud insertable into said housing between said locking blocks, locking instrumentalities on said The stud shank |66 has a pair of opposed 70 inclined teeth 32 intermediate the ends thereof.

Instead of one tooth being formed on each block 20, the blocks contain a plurality of superimposed inclined teeth 33 intermediate the ends of the blocks. Thus the teeth 32 on the stud are adapted 75 stud adapted to cooperate with the locking blocks for maintaining the stud in the housing, and said Vstud having a recessed end adapted to receive said rib member in to the recess thereof when the stud is rotated to locked position in the housing. 2. A fastener comprising a locking stud having locking. instrumentalities thereon, a receptacle having spring urged vlocking blocks therein adapted to receive the stud therebetween and cooperate with the locking instrumentalities on the stud for holding -the stud in the receptacle, and a spring pressed member cooperating with said stud to hold the same against unauthorized rotation in the receptable.

3, A fastener comprising a housing, a plurality' of toothed members in said housing, spring means urging said toothed members toward each other, a stud insertable intosaid housing between the toothed members having locking prongsv thereon adapted to ride over the teeth of said members upon relative rotation between the stud and receptacle, and means in said receptacle adapted to cooperate with said stud for holding the same in locked position against unauthorized rotation.

v4. A fastener comprising a receptacle having spacedopposed locking teeth, spring means urging said locking yteeth toward each other, qa stud having a shank insertable between said locking teeth, prongs on said shank ridable over said teeth to engage the stud'in the receptacle, and a separate spri-ng-urged member in said receptacle cooperating withv said stud in locked position to hold the stud against unauthorized rotation.

5.*A fastener adapted to detachably connect a plurality of apertured plates which comprises a stud adapted to be rotatably mounted in the aperture of the outermost plate, a receptable for said studadapted to be xedly mounted around the aperture of the innermost plate, said stud having a shank adapted to project into said receptacleI locking instrumentalities on said shank, spring urged locking means in said receptacle adapted to cooperate with said locking instrumentalities on the stud shank for holding the plates in assembled relation, and an independent spring urged ribbed member in said receptacle adapted l. to cooperate with said stud to hold the same in locked position. u

6. A separable fastener comprising an open ended receptacle, a pair of opposed blocks in said receptacle, teeth projecting inwardly from said asaaaso locking cams on said stud. spring urged tooth members in said receptacle adapted to be engaged by said cams when said stud is rotated in said housing, and said spring urged locking members having inclined surfaces acting on the locking cams of the stud to draw the stud into the receptacle.

8. A fastener comprising a receptacle, a series of superimposed spaced opposed locking instrum'entalities in said receptacle, a stud having a shank with locking instrumentalities thereon insertable into said receptacle and rotatable for one quarter turn to move the shank carried locking instrumentalities into engagement with whatever opposed locking instrumentalities are opposite the same at the time of rotation of the studv whereupon said stud has a plurality of locked positions at dierent levels in the receptacle.

26 9. A fastener comprising a housing. a pair of spaced opposed lockingblocks in said housing. each of said locking blocks having a plurality of superimposed teeth, spring means in said housing urging said locking blocks toward each other. a

mounted in the aperture of another of said parts.

stud having a shank portion freely insertable into said receptacle between the locking blocks, and

opposed teeth on said shank portion engageable with the teeth on the locking blocks whereby said stud can be inserted for a desired distance into the receptacle and rotated a quarter turn to engage a pair of spring pressed teeth. f

ANTHONY VENDI'I'IY. 

